Always Here
by Artz001
Summary: Set after the events of "The Good, the Bad, and Casey Jones." Mikey thinks Raph has found a new best friend in Casey, and jealousy causes some conflict for the youngest turtle. Can Raph do anything to fix this? Brotherly fluff, not Tcest.


"... And don't forget the subway chase! That was the awesomest part!"

Mikey whipped his head around when he heard Raph's voice. Turning just in time to see Casey and his red banded brother enter, he couldn't help but feel unsettled by the glint in Raph's eyes. It was a look normally reserved for Mikey when nobody was looking; a look of excitement and deep friendship.

"Aw, what's up? No more robot's left for me and Raph?"

The lair had been swarmed by the foot. April, Sensei, and the other three turtles had crushed, bashed, and sliced all of the foot robots. Raph and Casey, however, had run off, chasing one that had gotten away. They could only think of what would have happened if the location of the lair had reached the Shredder.

Casey leaned agains the sai-weilding brother, a smirk on both of their faces. Mikey felt a sinking, almost angry feeling fill the bottom of his stomach. Just earlier that day, the two had been fighting, each claiming the other one shouldn't exist. Mikey glared a bit.

"Whoa, okay. What's up with you two? You're like best friends forever now or something?" Mikey crossed his arms and sent a half-hearted glare their way. While Sensei spoke to the boys, Mikey glanced at his other two brothers. Donnie was watching Raph and Casey, as if studying them. Leo was the only one who glanced at him after the comment. Leo knew that Mikey and Raph had a special sort of bond. Mikey always brought out the fun side of Raph, and Raph would defend Mikey to the very end. Leo's deep blue eyes held a quizzical look. Mikey chose to glance back at Raph and Casey, ignoring Leo's silent question.

"... Wasn't bad warm up," Casey replied. Turning toward Raph, he said, "But now it's time to clean the scum off the streets."

"Let's do this!"

Both Raph and Casey slamed their thick skulls together, intensely staring into the other's eyes. "Yea!"

"Great!" Donnie broke Mikey's stare as all eyes turned toward him. "Y-you know what this means right? Now we have... two... RAPHAEL'S!"

Raph and Casey weren't even paying attention as they leapt over the old subway security barriers and off into the swears, laughing and pumped for the action-packed night they planned to have.

The rest of the group began to pick up foot robots and put them in Donnie's lab; the purple-banded brother said he would salvage parts from them. The whole time they were lugging, Mikey couldn't help but feel that sinking feeling again as the memory Raph and Casey's laughter filled. Raph had NEVER been that way with anyone before... except Mikey. Mikey took pride in it too. But the more the youngest thought about it, and the more time that passed, he began to feel worse and worse. After the robots were stacked away in a utility closet, Mikey quietly slipped into his room, avoiding Leo's still questioning gaze. When the door shut, Leo felt a gentle paw upon his shoulder.

"What troubles you, Leonardo?"

Leo sighed. "Did you see how Mikey was acting earlier? And the comment he made toward Raph and Casey?"

Sensei nodded. "I do not know what is troubling him so, my son. But I think this is something that Raphael should speak to him about, not you or I."

Reluctantly, Leo agreed. He bid Sensei goodnight before retiring to his own bed. Donnie walked April home (as Casey had left with Raph), and promptly locked himself in his lab upon his return. Sensei went into a deep meditation, pondering the events of the night, and silently hoping his youngest would be alright.

Mikey tossed and turned in his bed, horrible images dancing around in his dream scape. He was staring at Raph and Casey, pointing and laughing at him.

"Come on guys!" Mikey said. "I just want to join you."

"Mikey, let me make this simple," dream Raph said. "I don't need you anymore. I've got Casey now and, let's face it, he's WAY cooler than you are!"

Tears began to flow from Mikey. "But... but Raphie..."

"Don't call me that!" Raph snapped. "I said I don't need to be hanging around a stupid loser like you!"

"Yea, beat it amphibian!" Casey smirked.

Mikey just started crying as he watched the two walk away.

"RAPHIE!" Mikey jolted from his sleep and stared franticly around the room. He was surprised to find real tears rolling down his face. And no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't shake the nightmare. He was loosing his best friend... and his brother. Distraught, Mikey sniffled and wrapped his blanket around himself, curling into a tight ball. He stared at the wall and cried. If Raph didn't want to be his best friend anymore, then he wasn't going to stop him.

It was around 2 in the morning when Raph finally gotten home. He had had a long night of creaming purple dragons with Casey, and it had put him in a good mood. Noticing the lights were still on in the dojo, the hot-head entered curiously. Normally Sensei was asleep by now.

"Come in, Raphael."

Raph nearly jumped out of his green skin as his father spoke. How did he do that? Raphael approached his father and got on his knees, bowing before him.

"Did you have a good time with Casey, my son?"

"It was a blast!" Raph grinned. "We clobbered some purple dragons trying to steal a woman's purse. It was AWESOME!" Raph pumped his fist to emphasize the word.

The old rat smiled. "I am glad you had a good evening. I have decided that there will be no training tomorrow, as reward for everyone's hard efforts this evening."

"Thank you, Sensei," Raph bowed his head.

"However," Sensei's smiled faltered a bit. "There is something you need to do tomorrow."

Of course there was a catch. "Yes?"

"You must speak to Michelangelo."

Quickly, a tint of anger flashed in Raph's neon-green eyes. "What's wrong with Mikey?"

"I am not sure," Sensei's ears fell a bit. "He became very distant when you left with Casey, and I fear something is bothering him."

"I didn't do anything to him, honest!"

"I did not say you did," Sensei grinned a bit. "at least, not intentionally. But I would like you to speak with Michelangelo in the morning. Maybe, he will open up to you. After all, you two are very close to one another."

Raph bowed to his father and wished him a goodnight. Curious by what Sensei said, Raph decided he would pass by Mikey's bedroom, just for a moment. Before he could open the door, Raph froze. Sniffles and heavy sobs were coming from his youngest brother's bedroom. With each cry Raph felt his heart break into pieces. Gingerly, he opened the door, using enough ninja stealth to make Leo jealous. He saw Mikey curled up on his bed facing the wall, sobbing his heart out. Raph silently closed the door and walked quietly over to the orange-banded turtle, his heart breaking even more. Carefully, Raph placed a gentle hand on his brother.

"Mikey?"

The youngest yelped and sprang into a normal sitting position, causing Raph to jerk back a bit. Baby-blue eyes stared at Raph for a moment before harsher sobs escaped the freckled turtle's mouth.

"Mikey, what's wrong?" It wasn't often Raph let his soft side show through. But if Mikey was crying this hard, it was serious. He tried to place a hand on the younger's shoulder again, but Mikey pulled back a bit. Confused, Raph said, "Mikey, what is it?"

Mikey chocked back a couple of sobs and attempted to speak. "Y-y-you left m-m-me!"

Raph raised an eyebrow, even more confused than before. "What do you mean, I left you?"

Mikey hiccuped a bit before trying to continue. "W-When you went after th-that r-robot with C-C-Casey! And th-then you c-came home j-j-just to leave with him ag-g-gain!"

Mikey hugged his blanket as tightly around him as he could, wailing a bit at the last part. Raph just stared at Mikey for a moment before speaking as gently as possible.

"I had made a new friend. We just went out for a little while. It's no big deal, bro."

Mikey hiccuped and swallowed more sobs. "Y-yes it was!" he sobbed a bit before continuing. "I d-dreampt you l-left me behind and w-w-went with Casey and d-d-didn't want me ar-r-round anym-more!"

Raph's eyes went wide in shock as realization hit him. Mikey was jealous of Casey. More accurately, he was afraid Casey was stealing his big brother away.

"Y-you said you didn't n-n-need me and that I wasn't c-cool. Y-you called me a st-stupid l-looser and you j-just walked away with him l-laughing!"

Mikey couldn't talk anymore. Tears flowed much faster and sobs wracked his body as Raph watched. Suddenly, the comment Mikey had made earlier that evening made much more sense. And Raph was oblivious to Mikey's feelings. He knew he had to make this right.

Mikey froze when he felt Raph's strong arms pull him closer. Raph pulled his brother into his lap and leaned against the wall. The red-banded turtled cradled his baby brother close, squeezing him a bit.

"Mikey, you know that would never happen, right?"

Mikey hiccuped and looked up. "R-really?"

"Really," Raph grinned. "Look, Casey may be cool and all, but there's one thing you have that Casey never will have."

Mikey let out a small sob. "What?"

Raph smiled and held him close. "Casey will never be my little brother. He'll never be the brother I can protect, and he'll never be the ball of energy that holds this family together. He's my friend, of course. But you're my brother; my baby brother. And that's something that nobody can replace. We'll always have each other, Mikey. And I promise I won't let Casey steal me away. Heck, I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you tagged along every once in a while. He seemed to like you. Just remember that, okay?"

Raph felt Mike nod and burry his head into his chest. Raph rocked him gently, murmuring gently into Mikey's ears, trying to coax him to calm down. Slowly, Mikey's sobs got softer, before turning into hiccups and sniffles. Raph grabbed the other end of Mikey's blanket and carefuly wiped his brother's tears away. When at last Mikey had calmed down, he glanced up at Raph. Raph smiled.

"You want me to spend the night?"

Mikey grinned and nodded. Raph grinned back and gently squeezed his side, earning a quick, shrieking giggle from his brother. Raph laid them down gently and covered both of them both with the blanket. As Mikey curled into Raph's chest, Raph couldn't help but smile.

"You okay now?" Raph said softly.

Mikey nodded and hugged Raph tightly. "I love you, Raphie."

Raph beamed. There were very few times he allowed ANYONE to call him that; he found the name silly and stupid most days. But, at times like this, he found the name to be one of pride; a name his younger brothers called them when they needed him. Mikey's voice had sounded so small when he said it, but the grin upon his face was unmistakable.

Raph smiled and planted a kiss atop his brother's head.

"I love you too, Mikey, and I'll always be here. Don't ever forget that."

And with that, both drifted off into a deep sleep.


End file.
